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JOURNAL, R.A.S. (CEYLON). 



[Vol. X. 



in the end succumb to natural forces. Universal intercourse 

 seems to be the destined providential means of promoting 

 peace, brotherhood of nations, and the distribution of the 

 people to the places where there is most room for them. 

 Far as the world is yet from such a consummation, the 

 tendency of modern inventions, discoveries, and civilisation 

 is so to disseminate knowledge, and to distribute the pro- 

 ducts of industry, as to extend their benefits universally. 



Facility of communication between the distant parts of a 

 country is as important to its industries as the intercourse 

 it enjoys with other countries. Valuable commodities may 

 otherwise exist abundantly in one part, and be yet practi- 

 cally unavailable for other parts, where they are urgently 

 wanted. Thus, stores of grain existed in India in one part, 

 whilst, but a few years ago, famine raged in another. Hence, 

 for want of efficient means of transport, one province lost 

 the benefit of a good market, whilst the people in another 

 were dying of starvation. On the other hand, railways and 

 modern appliances have proved the means of bringing 

 supplies of wheat from the north of India and other new and 

 remote places, which have afforded cheap food to the millions 

 of English labourers, who would otherwise have suffered 

 severe hardship during the long protracted depression of 

 trade from which the country is only now recovering. 



When the British took possession of Ceylon, the interior 

 Avas accessible only by village paths and game tracks, which 

 precluded the transport of any but very portable and valu- 

 able commodities. Wherefore the few industries which 

 existed in the country were mostly of a local character, 

 confined within narrow limits. Sir J. Emerson Tennent, 

 writing in 1846, says : " It is surprising that even postal 

 communication is so regularly maintained, considering the 

 obstructions caused by wild animals, deep streams, and the 

 absence of local European superintendence " in some parts. 

 A British Embassy which started from Colombo to the King 

 of Kandy in 1806, had to leave its artillery behind at 

 Sitawakka, and to proceed in light marching order, not 



